Horytsvit 16

That is exactly what Horytsvit 16 became for the teenagers: a living intermezzo in their lives, where time slowed down and the space filled with trust, quiet and warmth.

Every day we read passages from Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi’s story of the same name and moved with its atmosphere and mood. This literary intermezzo inspired us as we found our own paths to quiet, presence and calm.

Over 14 days at the camp, the children had a chance to rest from the bustle of the outside world, which in Ukraine today is so often far too cruel. We wanted to create a space where everyone could find their own quiet after the noise, their own rhythm, their own place, without struggle or hurry.

That is why the schedule included a siesta – not exactly a Ukrainian custom – as a right to recover: only when you are deeply replenished does the inner need to act grow, and to act not for the sake of it but well, experiencing yourself as whole and connected to what is happening around you.

Thanks to every teenager and every mentor, we created a space where you could be yourself, with all your doubts, fears, irritations and hopes. Where you could feel supported even in moments of weakness, learn to listen to yourself and others, and discover strengths you never knew you had. The abstraction workshop, where our junior mentors worked with emotions, helped a great deal with this.

Like a big family, we shared lots of moments: we celebrated a birthday, went on picnics, watched films in the evenings, told each other secrets, hugged warmly, played a lot and shared our innermost thoughts… Too much to list.

The intermezzo worked.

And it is not an ending but the beginning of a new conversation with yourself, one that helps you breathe and keep going without losing yourself.